HILTON HOTEL
ROOM 12B
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
DAY OF RETURNEE RELEASE FROM QUARANTINE
"GOD I HATE MY HAIR!" came the yell through the hotel room's bathroom door.
Sitting on the edge of the bed Wesley sighed softly and looked down at his watch "Well, I guess I'd better call someone at the Quarantine area and tell them we're not going to make it today."
"Wesley be nice," Fred admonished her boyfriend as she used the palm of her hand to lightly smacked the top of his thigh "You know that Cordy is under a lot of stress right now. So go easy on her ok?"
"Of course any thing for you," Wes smiled at the beautiful brunette who was sitting next to him on the bed.
"Wesley?" Fred asked after a few seconds "When you were a Watcher in Sunnydale did you ever meet this Xander guy?"
"No," Wes shook his head "By the time the Council had sent me and Kennedy to the Hellmouth to help out after Faith's death, he had already been missing for about five months."
That remark caused Fred to look at Wesley in surprise, for Wesley almost never talked about his former Slayer.
Fred had always known that the situation between Kennedy and Wesley, her first Watcher, was a very touchy subject to bring up around Wes.
Just last week at the Hyperion they had gotten their monthly routine call from Giles. And just like all the other times Giles pleaded with the former Watcher in hopes that he could talk the younger man into becoming Kennedy's Watcher again. But no matter how much Giles begged him, no matter how many times Giles told him that Kennedy was sorry for what she had done and wanted him back as her Watcher,Wes always said no. Wesley obviously was not ready to forgive Kennedy's actions leading up to the Ascension and still wanted nothing to do with his former 'Rogue' Slayer.
Seeing the frown that was forming on Wesley's face Fred decided to lighten the mood by changing the subject. To do that Fred started to do what she did best. She started babbling.
"You know even after all this time I still can't believe that Cordelia knows one of the famous Forty-four Hundred! Ohh and Angel knows him too which makes all of this even more cool beans. I wonder when we meet him will he tell us whether or not that if it was aliens that took him and all those other people? I mean it had to be aliens, right? I mean who else could know how to take all those people, put them in that glowing ball and place all of them down by that lake? I mean Angel said that he talked to Giles and Giles told him that he sent a team of Council experts to the site to investigate and they decided that it wasn't magic or some type of demon portal that did it.Ohhh maybe whoever did it knows how to create a stable Einstein-Rosen Bridge and they used it to travel through time and space..."
Wes knew that if he didn't stop her soon, she would go on and on and on. And since he had no tacos on him Wes did the next best thing to stop Fred from babbling. And to be quite honest it was also his favorite method.
Wes pulled her to him and begin to kiss her passionately.
"...Yes.yes I know that the math on that happening is astronomical but what if they were to...ohhhhhhh," Fred moaned out loud when Wesley started to kiss her. After a few seconds Fred begin to mold her body against his.
They were so in to it that they failed to hear the door to the bathroom open. It wasn't until she cleared her throat very loudly did the madly kissing couple realize that Cordelia had reentered the room and was watching them.
"Am I going to have to pour a bucket of cold water on you two horn dogs, before you'll come up for air?" Cordelia asked arms crossed, taping her foot with impatience "Because you know if it's possible for you two to pry your tongues out of each others mouth for maybe a second I would like to leave for the military base some time soon."
"Well you know Cordelia," Wes sighed as he broke his kiss with Fred "We could have left a long time ago if you hadn't spent over three hours going through your entire wardrobe that you just happened to bring with..." Out of the corner of his eye Wes saw the stern look Fred was giving him.
Right right must be more understanding, thought Wes as he stood up "You're so right Cordelia.How rude of me and Fred to be so inconsiderate at this important time for you."
"Good," Cordelia nodded as she grabbed her purse and started for the door "Well come on guys lets get this show on the road. I want to see my Xander."
"I'm proud of you," Fred whispered to Wes,as she got up off the bed and looped her arm through his "When we get home I might even have to give you a reward for listening to me so well."
As he and Fred followed Cordy out the hotel room and toward the elevator Wes gave her a hopeful look "Will you wear that red dominatrix outfit again for me?" Referring to the outfit that she had been forced to wear and than later kept while all of Angel Investigation had been working on a case in Las Vegas.
"We'll see," said Fred giving Wes an innocent smile but with eyes were full of mischief as they entered the elevator to stand behind Cordelia.
"God what a pair of horn dogs," muttered Cordelia rolling her eyes as the elevator doors shut to.
MEANWHILE BACK AT THE QUARANTINE AREA
"Xander would you hurry the hell up!" Shawn Ferrell yelled into the dressing room at his new friend and fellow Returnee "I'd like to see my mom and little brother some time THIS year!"
"Alright,alright keep your pants on I'm coming," said Xander as he came walking out of the dressing room after ditching his drab brown quarantine outfit to once again wear jeans and his beloved Hawaiian shirt. As he walked up to Shawn,Xander couldn't help but to notice how the young man was trying his best not to laugh "What?"
"Dear God Xander," Shawn shook his head as he took in his friend's shirt "That has to be without a doubt the ugliest shirt I have ever seen in my life."
"Hey don't be poking fun at the shirt," frowned Xander as he moved his right hand up and down his shirt in an effort to brush off nonexistent lint "Besides I have it on good authority that women like it when a man wears bright colors."
"Yeah but I don't think Cordelia meant that she wanted you to go around in a bright orange Hawaiian shirt that's covered with a neon yellow flower pattern," smiled Shawn.
"Ok first off I like this shirt because it's my lucky shirt," said Xander "And second how did you know it was Cordelia who told me that?"
"Oh please,"said Shawn rolling his eyes while using his thumb to point back to the quarantine room behind them "We just spent the last six weeks crammed together in that quarantine area. And during that whole time every other word out of your mouth has been about Cordelia or something she told you."
"Ok you might have me there," smiled Xander as the two young men shared a laugh and started to head out of the room. But when they just reached the door Xander turned to look over his shoulder and saw Maia sitting all by herself in one of the chairs.
Xander turned to look at Shawn and motioned toward Maia "Hey man can you give me a minute?"
"Sure I'll wait out in the hall for you, but don't take too long," Shawn nodded before walking out of the room.
Xander walked over to Maia and squatted down so he could be eye to eye with the little girl "Hi Maia."
"Hello Xander," Maia said looking at him, her eyes brightening up with laughter when she noticed his shirt "Your shirts funny looking."
"Why does everyone keep saying that," said Xander giving Maia a fake pout "My shirt's not funny looking!"
Xander smiled when Maia started giggling at him "So I hear you're going to be staying with foster parents huh?
"Yeah the Griffins," nodded Maia.
"Look Maia," said Xander "All of us Returnees have to call in once a week to Head Quarters here to check in. When I do I'll ask each time if you're doing ok with the Griffins."
"Why?"
"Well if I find out that you're not happy or if the Griffins don't treat you ok than maybe I can do something about it."
"Like what?"
"Well there's this lady I know named Joyce Summers," said Xander "She's a real nice lady who makes the best chocolate chip cookies from here to the moon. And I bet that if I ask her real nice like she'd just love to take a sweetheart like you in. And I know for a fact that she could take real good care of you."
Maia looked up at Xander and gave him a sad look "No Xander, she can't."
"Huh?" asked a confused Xander "Why can't Joyce take good care of you?"
"You'll find out," was all Maia said before looking back down at the floor.
Xander opened his mouth to ask more but Shawn stuck his head back in through the door.
"Xander come on would you let's go!"
Xander turned toward the door to nod at Shawn. Looking back at Maia,Xander couldn't help but sigh "While Maia I guess this is good-bye."
"Bye Xander" said Maia as she watched the young man start to walk off. But when he just got to the door Maia called out to him "Xander?"
Xander stopped in the doorway to look back "Yeah?"
"Beware of the Wolf who will come to you in sheep's clothing."
"The who...that will come to me in the what?" Xander muttered in confusion.
It seemed that every time he talked to this little girl he became more and more confused.
"Damn it Xander let's go," said Shawn as he grabbed Xander by the arm and drug him out of the room.
The last image of Maia,Xander had was of her watching him with a concerned look upon her face.
TBC
I hoped you like this.In the next chapter Cordy and Xander are reunited and Xander's power startes to manifest itself.
